Police in Türkiye carried out a dawn raid on the widely watched, independent news channel Halk TV on October 14, signaling its takeover by a government-appointed administrator who promptly ordered the station to end its live broadcast.

Halk TV is close to the main political opposition New Party (Yeni Parti). Its journalists have reported on the imprisonment and trial of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, government moves to split the opposition, and persistent allegations of corruption in the ruling party. The seizure of the channel is part of a wider effort by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to restrict Turkish citizens’ access to independent news sources that has involved pulling the plug on several TV news outlets , prosecuting and jailing journalists , and greatly escalating internet censorship .

The Istanbul prosecutor’s office ordered the arrest of Halk TV’s owner on accusations of bribery, money laundering, and rigging tenders, along with 16 other people.…